Went to buy a 92FS and ended up with a 75B

[Noodle]

I thought I would share this story with you all.

I was in one of my local gun shops over the weekend with my son and checked out a Beretta 92FS. It looked sexy, it was made in Italy, and the price was fairly reasonable. I thought about it for a couple of days, did a little research, and decided I needed to have it (I certainly didn't need it). I made a couple of calls and found a better price at another store and off I went. Now this shop has all kinds of hardware and after looking at the 92FS and the M9 I started looking at other hand guns. Next thing you know, I am comparing the 92FS against a CZ 75B. I want to buy my first gun from Italy, but I keep going back to the Czech Repubulic. The CZ just felt way better in my hand, felt more balanced, can be carried cocked and locked, has a great reputation, and was almost $100 cheaper.

I have only had a chance to fire 100 rounds through it but it is amazingly accurate right out of the box. The trigger feels great in SA mode and it is soooo comfortable in my hand. I am now the proud owner of a CZ 75B. Perhaps I will look at Berettas next

[JDW67]

Good choice. I'd go with the CZ over a Beretta any day.

[Reagans Rascals]

I have an American Made 92FS. Its an all around great beater gun, very reliable. I bought it used and beat up, with 6 clips for $450. It hadn't been cleaned in a while as far as I could tell. I fired it up and haven't had a single malfunction yet that I didn't create on purpose for training.

The only thing I don't like was the factory supplied plastic guide rod. I plan on replacing it was a steel rod. But even though its plastic, I still have never had a problem.

I have heard problems with the 92FS when running +p ammo for extended periods of time. The barrels had a tendency to crack or explode. DEVGRU went through a trial with them and even coined the moniker "You're not a Navy SEAL until you've tasted Italian Steel." But I've never experienced any thing like this.

I am very fond of DA/SA guns. And one thing I discovered after purchasing the 92FS that I really like is the ability to slam charge the weapon. When I insert a new mag for a tactical reload and hit it in a 45 degree palm strike it will release the slide, eliminating a power stroke. For the money it's been the best purchase I've made so far. I don't have any experience with CZ firearms but my old flight instructor carried a 75B and wouldn't shut up about it, so either way I think you made a wise purchase.

[Reagans Rascals]

Good choice. I'd go with the CZ over a Beretta any day.

Beretta is the oldest industrial dynasty in the world... I don't see a single thing wrong with them.. and obviously they have been doing pretty well since 1526.... so I don't see any basis for this statement... imo

[JDW67]

Beretta is the oldest industrial dynasty in the world... I don't see a single thing wrong with them.. and obviously they have been doing pretty well since 1526.... so I don't see any basis for this statement... imo

I'm not saying anything bad about the company. I meant, I would chose the CZ75 over the Beretta 92.

[CrazyFingers]

I have heard problems with the 92FS when running +p ammo for extended periods of time. The barrels had a tendency to crack or explode. DEVGRU went through a trial with them and even coined the moniker "You're not a Navy SEAL until you've tasted Italian Steel."

Not true of the 92FS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta...._Military_use
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M9_pistol#Controversy

[DiabhailGadhar]

I have heard problems with the 92FS when running +p ammo for extended periods of time. The barrels had a tendency to crack or explode. DEVGRU went through a trial with them and even coined the moniker "You're not a Navy SEAL until you've tasted Italian Steel." But I've never experienced any thing like this.

To my knowledge..limited...it was a slide issue and they replaced them with the heavier ones before the trials were over...

"Prior to its widespread adoption by the U.S. military, questions were raised in a 1987 General Accounting Office report after an incident where a slide failure on a Beretta 92SB injured a Naval Special Warfare member,[7] and two more failures were later observed in additional testing. These failures included both military and civilian Beretta models with very high round counts, and after investigation they were deemed the result of ammunition supplied by the U.S. Army which exceeded the recommended pressures specified by NATO but nonetheless provoked a modification in the M9 design to prevent slide failure from causing injuries."

[DiabhailGadhar]

Not true of the 92FS.

Beat me to it...lol. I have a 92 Vertec and I beat the crap out of it...ol trusty...

[Noodle]

I found a couple of articles (post purchase) that helped reinforce my decision to purchase the CZ (I often do my best research after the purchase, lol). However, the comparison article says nothing bad about the 92 FS. Clearly they are both tried and true hand guns.

http://www.gunblast.com/CZ-75.htm

http://www.gunweek.com/2002/feature0110.html

[Reagans Rascals]

Not true of the 92FS.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beretta...._Military_use
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M9_pistol#Controversy

Read any book by a former DEVGRU plank owner - Chuck Pfarrer, Dennis Chalker, etc. and they will tell you the same. They also tell you why the operators began calling it the 92"FS" before Beretta made that designation. Also, I don't rely on wikipedia as the stone cold truth, considering I lived next to Mr. Rogue Warrior myself for 4 years.

"According to numerous accounts from founding members, the first US military unit to field the Beretta 92 was SEAL Team Six, however due to the extensive use of the pistol by SEAL Team Six (3000-5000 rounds per week, per operator), problems that were later evident with other US military users became apparent as slides started breaking and being flung back towards the shooter (reportedly due to use of over-pressure ammunition as described above)."

I do apologize. I misspoke and said barrels. But yes, you are correct, it was the slides. However, I wasn't pointing out a flaw in the weapon as being bad. Just trying to pass on what I have learned in the past. I am sure if the CZ75 were fired 3-5k rounds of +p ammo a week for an extended training package it would have some type of failure as well.